Sobs wracked her body when it dawned on her that it truly was Jagger. He was standing in front of her, and she could feel the tightening of his fingers into her skin. Reese launched herself into his arms. “I–I didn’t w–want to h–hurt you! I kn–knew if I used my power, you would d–die,” Reese cried into Jagger’s neck. “But you got sh–shot anyway! It’s m–my fault!”
“Shhh, that’s enough now,” Jagger consoled, holding her just as tight. “I’m right here. You think I would let Theo get you all to himself?”
“Th–this isn’t f–funny!” Reese pulled away to look at his chest, not bothering to wipe the tears streaming down her face. “D–do you realize that it was m–my fault?”
“Where is my strong Noble, huh? I’m standing right here in front of you. Feel.” Jagger used his thumbs to wipe her cheeks and then grabbed both of her wrists and brought her palms to his chest. He had changed into faded jeans and a black T-shirt. At his urging, she ran her hands lightly over his chest. There was no bandage. She reached for the hem and pulled up carefully. His beautifully sculpted, smooth skin stared back at her.
“I–I don’t understand,” Reese said, her crying diminishing to sniffles at the sight of his unblemished chest. “I saw you. You got shot.”
“You’re right, I did.”
“Your sister saved him, Reese,” Theo explained, coming up behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist. “She’s a Healer. Jagger’s going to be fine.”
“What do you mean?” Reese asked, feeling like she’d slipped down a rabbit hole. “I saw you get shot in the chest. I saw the blood on the floor. And then I—” Reese stopped mid-sentence. She had used her power to kill the people responsible. By all accounts, Jagger should be dead, because he hadn’t been behind her.
“Used your power.” Jagger finished her sentence, taking hold of her wrists and keeping her palms flat over his chest. “Yes, you used your power and still kept me safe.”
Reese shook her head in denial. She didn’t have that kind of control. Yes, she could create a pocket of protection around herself and those in the vicinity, but anything more and she had always failed. “I can’t win,” Reese whispered sadly, staring at his hands around her wrists. “I either hurt you when I lose control of my power or I hurt you when I don’t use it at all.”
Before either man could counter what she said, Reese’s sister walked into the kitchen. For how little she was, her presence overtook the room. “Are you okay?” Addison quietly asked.
Reese pulled away from Jagger and Theo, wiping the rest of the tears from her face, almost grateful for the interruption. She wasn’t emotionally steady enough to talk about the danger her ability was to the three of them. How had she ever let them convince her this could work?
Reese finished drying her tears, not wanting to face her sister for the first time looking like a train wreck. Taking a few hesitant steps in Addison’s direction, Reese asked, “Are you? I know how difficult being locked up by the Fray can be.”
Addison averted her eyes, dodging the question. Reese took the time to look at the woman who was her sister. She looked nothing like her. Addison was the total opposite. Where Reese’s skin held more of a deeper color and her hair and eyes were dark brown, Addison was paler with striking blond hair that emphasized her blue eyes. She appeared timid, although there seemed to be an inner strength that radiated around her.
Reese realized Addison wasn’t ready to talk about her time with the Fray, so she changed the direction of the conversation. “Theo and Jagger tell me you saved Jagger’s life. How is that possible?”
“I present to you the Healer of our generation,” Shane’s voice bellowed from behind Addison. Addison’s body became stiffer the closer Shane got. Eventually, Shane stood right next to Addison, ignoring the tense way she was holding herself. Addison took a tiny step to the side, then, as if that wasn’t enough, walked through the room toward the kitchen island. “When Theo carried you out,” Shane continued, “I was going to get Jagger into the delivery van and meet you at the airstrip, but Addison refused to let me move him. That’s when she dropped the bombshell.”
Reese felt both men move in behind her, but she was still feeling emotionally raw. Maybe that was the same reason Addison didn’t want to be near Shane, because she, too, was feeling overwhelmed. Stepping away, Reese made her way to the island as well and hopped up on the stool next to the one Addison claimed. Turning so their knees were almost touching, Reese said, “I have tons of questions and can’t wait until you and I have time to really talk, but I honestly can’t even begin to express my gratitude at you saving Jagger’s life. I owe you a debt that I will never really be able to repay.”
* * * *
Jagger, Theo, and Shane let the two women get to know one another as sisters, Nobles, and hopefully friends. The men each took seats around the roaring fire, Shane taking the oversized chair while Jagger and Theo claimed the couch. The trip back from that damned hellhole seemed to have taken the last bit of spunk Jagger had left, and he was exhausted. He settled into the corner, with his right leg tilted at an angle on the cushion, and let out air that seemed to have been stagnant in his lungs. They did it. They survived.
“You all right?” Theo asked.
“Yeah. Who would have thought?” Jagger adjusted his head to look over at Theo. Theo looked as calm now as he had before they infiltrated the Fray’s building. His long hair was back to being tied in a conservative manner, his change of clothes of jeans and a dark-blue T-shirt was casual, and the worry and grief Jagger had seen in his eyes when he’d stepped onto the plane was now replaced with relief. “It was weird, man. I could hear everyone around me talking but I couldn’t speak. I knew I was slipping away and wanted to be able to say so much. To Reese, to you,” Jagger admitted, running his hand through his hair in agitation. “I never want to feel like that again.”
“What about physically?” Shane leaned forward to grab the water bottle he’d stolen from the fridge earlier. “She placed her hands above your wound, and I swear the air crackled. Shocked the shit out of me. After around a minute, you were breathing normal, the bullet hole had closed on its own, and then her eyes rolled back in her head and she passed out. I had to carry her to the van, and then, well, you know the rest. You were awake when I came back for you.”
“Physically, I feel fine. Tired, like I could sleep for the next twenty-four hours, but other than that, fine.” Jagger rubbed his hand over his chest where the bullet had hit, amazed there was no wound. “I don’t remember anything after hearing Reese scream, but I do know she protected me with some sort of shield.”
“If Addison passed out after using her gift,” Theo contemplated, “then she must be like Reese and can only do so much before her body gives out and needs time to recover.”
“I’m just wondering how she hid that kind of ability from everyone. Not only from the Fray inside that facility, but her friends and family. I mean, she lived a normal life for a long time.” Shane rolled the water bottle around in his hands.
“I’m sure Reese will find out a lot of interesting facts from her sister. Speaking of Reese, you do realize she’s thinking of pulling away again,” Theo said, directing his attention to Jagger.
Jagger looked over to where Reese was sitting on the stool. She must have grabbed the ponytail holder that was sitting on the counter earlier, because her hair was pulled back into some type of loop, like she didn’t pull her hair all the way through. She and Addison were now holding hands and talking animatedly about something. Jagger was pleased she had someone to connect to besides Theo and him. She often talked about not having true friends. Everyone thought of her as the Deity of the Nobles and not just Reese, the woman. But, then again, she wasn’t in control of her energy back then and that scared everyone.
Jagger didn’t need Theo’s ability to read her thoughts to know she was pulling away. He remembered the look of terror that crossed her face when he silently asked her to use her power on those armed g
uards. He knew there was no way out of that situation without those men about to fire their guns. Jagger was more afraid that Reese would be the one injured. Was he confident that Reese could protect him? No. But to him, Reese’s life came before his.
The majority of the time Reese had practiced this past week, the encasement had only extended to those around her, except that one time that she had brushed off as an oversight. They had been outside, Reese testing little bits of energy flow and also the direction of that flow, trying to learn to limit how much she released, when a deer came out of the woods outside of the compound. Reese caught sight of it as she was discharging her energy, and the next thing Jagger knew, the deer calmly walked back into the trees as if nothing had happened. When Jagger insisted it wasn’t a fluke and to try again, Reese couldn’t recreate the act.
Reese looked over to catch him staring at her, and she offered him a small smile, albeit a sad one. Oh yeah, Jagger thought. She was pulling away because in her mind, if she lost control and released her power by mistake, she could hurt or kill them. But now she was dealing with another dilemma. If she didn’t use her power in dire circumstances, they would most likely die at the hands of their enemy.
“She’s already pulled away,” Jagger answered. “We need to teach her trust. To trust us, trust our new way of life, and more importantly, to trust herself.”
“Obviously, you three need some time to yourself. I’m taking Addison over to the guesthouse, if you don’t mind. I have some questions I’d like answered myself.” Shane disengaged his large form from the chair and walked over to Addison.
“Oh, I like the way you think, my friend,” Theo said, as Jagger let him in on his ideas by opening up his thoughts. “I couldn’t agree more.”
Chapter Eleven
No one said a word after Addison and Shane left the main house. Reese still sat on the stool at the counter looking at the kitchen door like it was a lifeline, not ready to face the two men sitting on the couch. She was still wearing the blue delivery uniform from earlier and was about to say she needed to take a shower when Theo interrupted her plan of escape by saying, “Not yet. We’ll take a shower later. We need to settle some things first.”
Anger was making its way in where only fear had been, and Reese jumped off the stool and faced the cause. “Stop reading my thoughts, damn it!”
“Then stop hiding from us,” Theo hit back, standing up from the couch in his bare feet, looking sexy as hell in those faded jeans. “Nothing has changed from when we flew out of here this morning. We love you, and we will protect you.”
“And who protects you two?” Reese didn’t move from where she stood. “If Addison hadn’t been there to save Jagger’s life—”
“But she was! It’s a moot point.” Theo edged closer, but Reese refused to step back. “We both know our powers change as we get older. We control them better. We learn to live comfortably with what we’re given. You’re just finding your way, is all.”
“Finding my way could cost you your lives. I’m not willing to take that chance.”
“We are. It’s not your choice to make.” Theo walked up to her until Reese had to tilt her head back to see his face. “The only question is, do you love us enough?”
“Don’t you see, Reese?” Jagger came to stand beside Theo, providing a united front. “You said something to me when you first arrived here. You said, ‘If I let you touch me, that is how you’ll die and I’ll be left with nothing. If I walk away, I’m leaving you my heart and will have nothing to live for but the knowledge that you are here on this earth.’ You are essentially doing that to us by considering walking away. We would be dead inside.”
Her men stood side by side, looking ready to take on the world. They would do anything for her. Could she just walk away and leave them? Wouldn’t she also be dead inside? Reese felt the sob try to escape when she said, “When I saw you hit, I—”
“I know exactly how you feel. It was the same feeling when I walked up behind two men holding you at gunpoint. Do you think we love you less than you love us? That your feelings are stronger than ours? It doesn’t work that way,” Jagger explained. “The way I figure it, you’re the strongest Noble in existence. Are you going to be strong and take what we’re offering, or are you going to be weak and walk away?”
Theo tensed at the ultimatum, but never said anything to contradict what Jagger said. These two men were unified in their belief that they could make this work, and here she was, letting her fear win. Jagger was right. She was strong, and their love was stronger. She just needed to accept them and trust in their love to lead them through the battles that lay ahead. When both men lifted their arms, Reese took that last step and let them hold her.
* * * *
Theo picked Reese up, making her wrap her legs around his waist. He knew Jagger just didn’t have the energy, so he would take the lead in their lovemaking. He nodded for Jagger to go over to the couch and followed with Reese in his arms. When he reached the edge of the cushion, Theo set Reese on her feet and immediately claimed her lips. Taking as much as she would give, he turned her a little so her back was toward Jagger. Jagger’s hands came around and unbuttoned the hideous-looking uniform and peeled it from her body.
Only when she was naked did Theo release her lips. She had somehow managed, again, to get rid of his favorite leather tie that bound his hair. His hair fell into his eyes, blocking his view of her small, pert breasts. Reese reached up and removed the obstacle by grabbing a fistful of hair, trying to pull him back down for another kiss. He wouldn’t be detoured. Her breasts were perfect to shape into cones for him to savor. Theo wrapped both hands around each mound and made them stick out, the way he liked. Dipping his head, he sucked in one peaked pebble, making it tighten into a hard nub. Rasping his tongue over the nipple, he trapped it on the roof of his mouth and sucked. There they were, those sounds that she made, coming from her throat.
Theo never let up on her breasts but noticed her keening get a little louder. He felt, more than saw, Jagger make his way between her legs from the back, making her widen her stance. Jagger must have been licking her from the back, because Reese shoved her hips back to give him more access. Theo went back to working her nipples when Reese stiffened. He smiled against her breast when he heard Jagger say, “Just stretching you out a little.”
Jagger must have been working her back hole. Sure enough, Theo probed Jagger’s mind and picked up his thoughts on what he wanted to do. In total agreement, Theo kept Reese occupied while Jagger stretched her anus enough to be able to take Jagger’s cock there. Theo didn’t need Jagger to tell him he’d added another finger to the onslaught because Reese’s gasp and moan did that all on their own. When Jagger was certain she was as ready as she would ever be, he stood up and quickly left the room to get what they needed.
Theo never let up on her nipples and now they were red and inflamed from his constant attention. He knew they were extra sensitive now and started to nibble, making Reese start to plead for relief. Theo loved when she got to this point. She was incoherent and totally abandoned in her sexuality. Finally, Jagger returned with a bottle of lube in his hand and his dick in the other. He had undressed somewhere along the way and was already preparing himself to take Reese from behind, his condom in place and his hand full of lubricant. Waiting for Jagger to get situated in the chair, Theo started to move her backward. When the back of her knees hit the cushion and she would have fallen, Jagger reached up to grab her hips. They slowly settled her down to where her anus was touching the tip of Jagger’s wide cock.
When Reese was about to shoot back up in a standing position, Theo leaned in and kissed her. Pulling away, he looked into her deep brown eyes and said, “Do you trust us?” She slowly nodded and then Theo instructed, “Then push out. When Jagger pushes in, push out. It’ll make it easier for his cock to slide all the way in.”
* * * *
Reese could barely breathe. The tip of Jagger’s cock was pressed against the one place noth
ing had ever been inserted, and the only thing holding her up was Jagger’s hold on her hips. Theo stood in front of her, leaning down to stare into her eyes. Having him watch her accept Jagger into her ass was so erotic that her cream dribbled down her inner thighs.
“Push out, Reese. Take me in.” Jagger’s voice sent shudders through her body. Reese gradually pushed her muscles out while Jagger slowly slid his head through her sphincter. The burn he was creating assaulted her senses, and she didn’t know if she liked the feeling or if it was too painful. Theo never removed his eyes from hers, staring at her while she accepted what Jagger gave her. “Keep pushing, Reese.”
Inch by inch, Jagger’s cock slid home, until he was all the way in. The feeling of fullness made her want to move, but Jagger’s hands held her still. She started to rock, but again, Jagger tightened his hold. Theo stepped away and started to undress.
“Please let me move,” Reese pleaded, needing something. The burning gave way to warmth, spreading through her lower region and making her neglected clit throb. She was splayed wide open to Theo, whose eyes were now captured by the sight of her wet folds with her clit poking its head out. Reese wondered where her embarrassment was at the way she was displayed but was too turned on to care. Theo was staring at her like he wanted to eat her up, and she wanted him to.
Jagger finally let go of Reese’s hips to put his arms around her body, securing her wrists between her breasts. She couldn’t move this way either and moaned her displeasure. Why wouldn’t they let her move?
“If you move, Jagger’s not going to last,” Theo said, intruding on her thoughts again, but this time, she didn’t mind. “He can’t even talk, you feel so good. You’re so tight around his cock, he’s ready to explode.”
“I’m not going to last either, so just move. We’ll come together,” Reese gritted through her teeth. Her clit was throbbing so badly, all it would take was one swipe and it would send her over. Having it so exposed, the feel of the air was almost painful.
Elizabeth, Peyton - Noble Desire [Nature's Nobles 1] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 11
